JACKIE ROBINSON'S 90TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

On the eve of Jackie Robinson’s 90th birthday party, the Foundation celebrated the milestone by officially launching an ambitious new chapter in its own history.  Jackie Robinson Foundation President and CEO Della Britton Baeza formally announced plans to construct an interactive Jackie Robinson Museum in lower Manhattan, slated to open next year.  The $25 million campaign is halfway to completion thanks to significant gifts from Nike, the Yawkey Foundation, the New York Mets, Citi and the New York Yankees. 

The star-studded event featured a dynamic panel discussion with iconic basketball star and historian Kareem Abdul Jabbar and New York Mets skipper Jerry Manuel.  The two traded stories of Jackie Robinson lore, discussing how the baseball and civil rights luminary impacted their own careers.  The panel was moderated by the Foundation’s new Vice President and Chief Program Officer Damon Caldwell. 

Ralph Appelbaum, the legendary museum designer and the creative genius behind vanguards such as the United States Holocaust Museum and the United States Constitution Center, shared a riveting presentation showcasing his vision for the Museum.  Applebaum, recalling the famous moment when Dodger infielder Pee Wee Reese placed an arm of solidarity on Jackie’s shoulder at Cincinnati’s Crosby Field, told the crowd that had gathered at the future Museum site that now is the perfect time to reach out and embrace the Foundation’s goal of completing this long overdue project. 

To learn more about how you can be part of history and support the Jackie Robinson Museum, please call the Foundation at (212) 290-8600. 

Museum Designer Ralph Appelbaum talks about the new Jackie Robinson Museum

At the 90th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's birth, Rachel Robinson talks about the efforts to build a museum in Jackie Robinson's name.

Sports' greats Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Mets Manager Jerry Manuel talk about the impact Jackie Robinson has had on their lives and careers.